Rais says Pakatan plagiarised N-Day themes

Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said the move of opposition political parties to come up with their own themes for the celebration was a political game to humiliate BN in the eyes of the people, more so when predictions were that the next general election would be held this year, he said.

The information, communications and culture minister said, opposition political parties have run out of ideas and are pinching from the work of the Barisan Nasional (BN) government. Their own Merdeka Day themes had been used by the Information Department in its booklets on unity published in 2009.

 “They are desperate and bankrupt of ideas. They are also envious of the success and the fulfilled promises of the (federal) government all this while.

“As such, they just pinch whatever the Information Department has done and promote it as their own idea,” he Said.

Pakatan Rakyat announced that the states under its rule would use three different themes for this year’s Merdeka Day celebration because it did not agree with the federal government’s theme of “55 Years of Independence, Promises Fulfilled”.

The Kedah government is to use the theme “Terus Berbakti” (Continue to Serve); the Kelantan government, “Menerajui Perubahan” (Leading Change); and the Penang and Selangor governments, “Sebangsa, Senegara, Sejiwa” (One Nation, One Country, One Soul).

Rais said having three different themes simply went to show that the opposition political parties could not come to an agreement.

“This only proves that they cannot come to a consensus. I feel that the people can judge for themselves,” he said.

Rais ready to be sued if N-Day melody was copied

Information, Communications and Culture Minister Rais Yatim is prepared to be sued if his critics can prove that the melody for this year’s National Day song ‘Janji Ditepati’ (Promises Fulfilled) has been copied from other song.

“I challenge them to prove it is other people’s song. If it is proven, I’m ready to be dragged to court,” Utusan Malaysia today quotes Rais as saying.

According to the report, Rais said the opposition has been cornered and was annoyed to the extent of claiming that the melody was copied from other song.

“They have no capital until even they want to criticize the song. Indeed, it was me who tried to link the lyric of Janji Ditepati with the melody. But the melody was composed by those who had won RTM’s best band award in 2010,” he said.

Last week, it was reported that the melody for Janji Ditepati was similar to an Indonesian gospel song titled “Serukan Namanya” (Call out His name).

After it became a hot topic in the cyberspace, the ministry announced the setting up of a panel to probe the allegations.

"Over my dead bodies before implementation of Hudud"

Statement by the Islamist party’s deputy president Mohamad Sabu on the issue that Chinese community has shown they are no longer frightened of the Hudud seem to be highly disrespect and insult DAP especially PKR.

Politically, it is implicated that there is a concerted effort to undermine support for DAP and doing a favor for MCA.

The Chinese’s stand on not support the implementation of Hudud Law still remains the same. They distant themselves away from those support PAS especially stunt PAS members, who are campaigning about the implementation of the Hudud law in this country.

The present scenario seems to suggest that politically PAS will suffer losses to UMNO and it needs to divert attention away. In term of non-Muslim votes DAP will be suffered and PAS will be gained.

It was reported that Mohamad had said the BN’s old playbook in wooing voters according to race will no longer succeed as the Chinese community has shown they are no longer frightened of the hudud, or the strict Islamic criminal code, that has often been used as a bogey by BN’s Chinese components, MCA and Gerakan.

“As long as PAS picks the democratic way as part of its struggle, the people especially the non-Muslims do not have to worry,” he said.

“If PAS implements hudud, PAS will have to carry out a public consultation to get the support of all Muslim and non-Muslim MPs to amend the Constitution to enforce hudud.

“Not just hudud, whatever that is desired that involves amending the Constitution requires the support of the majority of parliamentarians,” Mohamad said.

 

Najib announces RM43.2m ‘Duit Raya’ for Felda settlers

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today announced “duit raya” totalling RM43.2 million for all Felda settlers.

Najib said the money was in appreciation of their contributions to the development of Felda (Federal Land Development Authority) and to help them with their Hari Raya preparations.

He said the awarding of the “duit raya” was divided into two categories, namely settlers with Felda and settlers who were not with Felda.

“A total 103,597 settlers, or 91.9 per cent, who are with Felda will receive RM400 each and this involves an allocation of RM41.4 million.

“A total 9,038 settlers, or 8.02 per cent, who are not with Felda will receive RM200 each involving RM1.8 million,” he said.

The contribution of “duit raya” to the settlers has been implemented since 2003. The amount this year is higher by RM0.6 million or 1.39 per cent compared to RM42.6 million last year.

“All our promises will be kept...just as the teachings of Islam call for. Although Felda has been listed (on Bursa Malaysia), all aid we have given prior to the listing will be continued. So we will still give ‘duit raya’ to the settlers,” he said.

Tun V.T. Sambanthan

“ Saya amat bernasib baik kerana dilahirkan di negara ini. Di manakah anda boleh berjumpa bangsa yang lebih prihatin, bersopan-santun dan tertib selain dari bangsa Melayu. Di manakah anda boleh mendapat layanan politik yang baik untuk kaum pendatang? Di manakah dalam sejarah dunia? Saya bertanya kepada anda. Ini adalah fakta. Siapakah anda untuk menjaga keselamatan kami? Saya adalah kalangan 10 peratus kaum minoriti di sini. Tetapi saya amat gembira di sini.”

Tun Tan Siew Sin

"In return for the generosity of the Malays, MCA and MIC agreed to continue the policy of preserving and respecting the special position of the Malays and at the same time safeguard the legitimate interests of other''.
 

30 April 1969

 Tun Tan Siew Sin

 President of the Malayan Chinese Association (MCA, later Malaysian Chinese Association)- from November 1961 to April 1974

 

Douglas Uggah Embas: Jabatan perhutanan perlu bersikap proaktif dan bersedia dengan tindakan-tindakan pre-emptive

Dato Sri Douglas Uggah Embas berkata, Jabatan perhutanan perlu bersikap proaktif dan bersedia dengan tindakan-tindakan pre-emptive bagi menjayakan program-program bagi memastikan komitmen negara ini terpelihara.

 

Menteri Sumber Asli Dan Alam Sekitar berkata demikian ketika berucap pada Majlis Penyampaian Sijil Perhutanan Renjer Hutan Sesi 2010-2012 dan Sijil Perhutanan Pengawas Hutan Sesi 2011-2012 Institut Latihan Perhutanan (FORTRAIN) di Dewan Alwy, Bahagian Latihan Perhutanan, JPSM, Kepong hari ini. Teks ucapannya dibaca oleh Dato’ Dr Mohd. Ali B. Mohamad Nor, Timbalan Ketua Setiausaha (Sumber Asli).

 Dato’ Dr Mohd. Ali B. Mohamad Nor, Timbalan Ketua Setiausaha (Sumber Asli)

Menurut Menteri Sumber Asli Dan Alam Sekitar, Dewasa kini, isu-isu perhutanan dan alam sekitar menjadi tumpuan di media masa dan di forum-forum peringkat nasional dan antarabangsa. Isu-isu seperti perubahan iklim, kebakaran hutan, pencemaran udara dan sungai sering kali dikaitkan dengan hutan.

“Ini menunjukkan bahawa bidang perhutanan memainkan peranan yang penting bukan sahaja dari aspek kepentingan ekonomi, malah turut menjadi nadi kepada kehidupan sosial masyarakat dan kepentingan kepada alam sekitar. Tanggapan sesetengah pihak bahawa perhutanan adalah berkaitan dengan pengusahasilan kayu sahaja adalah tidak tepat kerana ianya menjangkaui lebih daripada itu.”

“Cabaran-cabaran baru serta desakan globalisasi kini menuntut kita untuk menguasai ilmu- ilmu pengetahuan baru yang berkonsepkan “look beyond the tree”.

Menurut beliau, pemeliharaan dan pengurusan hutan penting bagi menangani isu-isu global ini. Usaha ini memerlukan kita memastikan sekurang-kurangnya 50% daripada keluasan tanah Negara dilitupi hutan  dan pokok-pokok  seperti komitmen Malaysia yang dinyatakan semasa Sidang Kemuncak Bumi di Rio de Janeiro pada tahun 1992 dan komitmen untuk mengurangkan intensiti karbon sehingga 40% menjelang tahun 2020 semasa Persidangan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu Mengenai Perubahan Iklim di Copenhagen pada tahun 2010. 

“Selain itu, pembangunan ekonomi negara juga tidak seharusnya terlalu bergantung kepada hasil pengeluaran dari hutan asli. Jabatan perhutanan perlu mencari inisiatif untuk meneroka peluang-peluang baru bagi menjana pertumbuhan ekonomi daripada sumber-sumber hutan yang lain seperti tumbuh-tumbuhan ubatan dan herba dan eko-pelancongan.”

“Penjanaan sumber kekayaan baru dari hutan melalui pendekatan yang lebih mesra alam akan memberi perlindungan berganda kepada usaha-usaha melindungi biodiversiti negara.”

Beliau berkata, cabaran utama membangunkan modal insan ialah menyediakan latihan yang mampu mentransformasikan minda yang kreatif, inovatif dan berkemahiran tinggi bagi lepasan sijil perhutanan agar selari dengan hala tuju dasar negara. Perubahan minda yang ingin diterapkan sewajarnya menggalakkan pemikiran yang selari dengan aspirasi negara bagi menghasilkan nilai tambah dalam tugasan dan berkeupayaan menyediakan lepasan sijil yang mampu membudayakan nilai-nilai murni perkhidmatan awam amnya dan di Jabatan-jabatan Perhutanan khasnya.

“Saya juga difahamkan bahawa para pelatih telah dididik untuk melaksanakan pelbagai kerja dalam satu masa (multi-tasking), selain menyemai sikap bertanggungjawab dan cintakan alam sekitar bodiversiti hutan. Proses latihan yang dikendalikan oleh JPSM ini bukan sekadar untuk mendapat kelulusan tetapi bertujuan untuk mempersiapkan para pelatih sekalian agar sentiasa berilmu, berkemahiran, berintegriti dan berwawasan dalam apa jua bidang pekerjaan yang bakal diceburi di luar kelak.”

Kata beliau, Kementerian Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar (NRE) sentiasa mengambil berat dan menyokong usaha-usaha jabatan agensi di bawahnya dalam melaksanakan projek-projek pembangunan yang dilaksanakan termasuklah pembangunan sumber manusia dan modal insan.

“ Saya difahamkan bahawa JPSM melalui Program Kerjasama ASEAN-Republik Korea telah menyedia dan menambahbaik dasar latihan sumber manusia, kurikulum latihan dan latihan bermatriks yang komprehensif merangkumi semua peringkat selaras dengan arahan Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam Malaysia. Semoga dasar latihan yang disediakan ini dapat memantap dan meningkatkan kepakaran dan kompetensi di kalangan warga jabatan.”

Menurut beliau, di majlis yang penuh bermakna ini, saya ingin menyeru setiap pelatih agar tidak mensia-siakan ilmu pengetahuan, kebolehan dan bakat yang telah diperolehi sepanjang tempoh berkursus di sini. Ilmu pengetahuan, pengalaman dan kemahiran yang ada perlulah diaplikasikan dengan rasa penuh tanggungjawab, berdisiplin dan berdedikasi bagi menghasilkan perkhidmatan yang cekap, cepat dan berkualiti tinggi.

“Saya suka menyarankan kepada semua pelatih supaya menanamkan sikap ingin terus maju, seperti kata-kata Albert Einstein: “Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death” atau dalam bahasa Malaysia pembelajaran bermula sejak dari lahir sehingga mati.  Oleh yang demikian, amalkan segala ilmu yang telah dipelajari dan terus berusaha untuk mencapai kejayaan di masa hadapan. Ingatlah bahawa saudara-saudari sekalian menggalas peranan penting dan merupakan barisan hadapan yang diamanahkan bagi memelihara dan menjaga khazanah hutan negara yang amat tinggi nilainya.”